Live Review: Clutch with Green Lung at The Roundhouse, Camden, London (17/12/22)

London’s slow thaw from the recent cold snap is in full effect but it’s still freezing cold on the streets around Camden. Not that anyone in the Roundhouse is noticing though, instead a packed out house is basking in the warmth of Green Lung’s doomy proto-rock, and Clutch’s funky and bluesy stoner rock.

It should be noted that Tigercub were the opening band but we only got the venue as they were finishing up. A big crowd that was cheering loudly certainly suggested that they did well though.

Our anticipation is high for Green Lung, arguably more than Clutch, as this is the first time seeing them perform live and they do not disappoint. Their brand of hard rock blended with proto-style groove and doomy heaviness is delightful. Especially in a venue like the Roundhouse, where rarely does the sound let things down. Although it has to be said that the organ, an integral part of Green Lung’s uniqueness, is a bit lost at times. A small complaint though.

Filled with energy and loving the reaction from the crowd (they are in their hometown after all), Green Lung are hot from the get go and really exude a lot of confidence. More than you might expect from a band that formed in 2017 and has just two albums under their belt. They seem made for stages like this and their sound is immensely rich.

It’s not impossible to believe that years down the line, they could be headlining this venue.

Though, if you’re going to be supporting anyone on a UK tour, you can’t go wrong with Clutch. One of the most consistent rock bands on the planet. Beloved by many, they cross genres and draw fans from all ends of the musical spectrum.

2022 has been a busy year for them too, as vocalist Neil Fallon lets us know: this final UK date is their 120th show of the year. They also managed to release a banging new album in September, called Sunrise at Slaughter Beach. This, being a new album tour, means it’s no surprise that they open the show with Slaughter Beach, and it sounds great.

However, across a 20+ song setlist, only three other tracks get played from the new album. Namely; Mountain of Bone, Nosferatu Madre and Skeletons on Mars, which all make an appearance in the first half of the set. Alongside some of Clutch’s most popular tracks. The likes of Earth Rock, D.C. Sound Attack, A Quick Death in Texas, and X-Ray Visions all getting aired early on.

Does that mean they, and the crowd, run out of steam? Absolutely not, this is Clutch after all, and they have a lot of releases to draw from. In fact, it actually turns into a wild romp through a large number of their releases. Tracks from Blast Tyrant, Earth Rocker, From Beale Street to Oblivion and Clutch itself. They are giving the packed-out Roundhouse their money’s worth and the smiles all round certainly suggests no-one has left dissatisfied.

Out on the dark streets, the warmth delivered by Green Lung and Clutch ensures no-one is feeling the cold just yet.